After several years of hard work and support from the local community, Emporia State University made a historic announcement Saturday night.
ESU leadership, donors and students all gathered inside the Memorial Union Ball Room to unveil the total of the Together Forward fundraising campaign. The campaign went public silently back in February of 2021 and by homecoming of that same year had surpassed its original goal of $50 million leading to the announcement of a stretch goal of $75 million.
The final total eclipsed both of those goals as the generosity of more than 13,000 donors led to a final total of just under $92 million making it the most successful campaign in the university’s history. For reference, the Now and Forever campaign which took place between 2013 and 2016 ended with a total of $58 million.
ESU Foundation President Shane Shively says the entire community should be proud of this result noting that campaigns such as this do much more than just bring needed dollars to the university.
ESU Provost Brent Thomas was astounded by the announcement and noted the campaign had to navigate a sea of challenges, including a global pandemic, to reach Saturday’s total. At a time when many have begun to question the need for higher education in general, Thomas says the final total illustrates the community’s understanding of the importance of higher education and Emporia State.
The university has already begun to put the funds generated through the campaign to great use as in a variety of ways including including the Nursing and Student Wellness Center, the redesigned Feltner Student Nursing Square, a campus disc golf team and course, a new competitive esports team and eVentures program and an increase in scholarships, especially for the arts. It also led in part to the Jones Premier Nursing and Education Scholarship.
Click here for a video of the total announcement.
Photos by Tagan Trahoon/KVOE News
